Virtual Controller For Visual Displays

ABSTRACT

Virtual controllers for visual displays are described. In one implementation, a camera captures an image of hands against a background. The image is segmented into hand areas and background areas. Various hand and finger gestures isolate parts of the background into independent areas, which are then assigned control parameters for manipulating the visual display. Multiple control parameters can be associated with attributes of multiple independent areas formed by two hands, for advanced control including simultaneous functions of clicking, selecting, executing, horizontal movement, vertical movement, scrolling, dragging, rotational movement, zooming, maximizing, minimizing, executing file functions, and executing menu choices.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/463,183, filed on Aug. 8, 2006 the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Hand movements and hand signals are natural forms of human expressionand communication. The application of this knowledge to human-computerinteraction has led to the development of vision-based computertechniques that provide for human gesturing as computer input. Computervision is a technique providing for the implementation of human gestureinput systems with a goal of capturing unencumbered motions of aperson's hands or body. Many of the vision-based techniques currentlydeveloped, however, involve awkward exercises requiring unnatural handgestures and added equipment. These techniques can be complicated andbulky, resulting in decreased efficiency due to repeated hand movementsaway from standard computer-use locations.

Current computer input methods generally involve both text entry using akeyboard and cursor manipulation via a mouse or stylus. Repetitiveswitching between the keyboard and mouse decreases efficiency for usersover time. Computer vision techniques have attempted to improve on theinefficiencies of human-computer input tasks by utilizing hand movementsas input. This utilization would be most effective if detection occurredat common hand locations during computer use, such as the keyboard. Manyof the current vision-based computer techniques employ the use of apointed or outstretched finger as the input gesture. Difficultiesdetecting this hand gesture at or near the keyboard location result dueto the similarity of the pointing gesture to natural hand positioningduring typing.

Most current computer vision techniques utilize gesture detection andtracking paradigms for sensing hand gestures and movements. Thesedetection and tracking paradigms are complex, using sophisticatedpattern recognition techniques for recovering the shape and position ofthe hands. Detection and tracking is limited by several factors,including difficulty in achieving reasonable computational complexity,problems with actual detection due to ambiguities in human handmovements and gesturing, and a lack of support for techniques allowingmore than one user interaction.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce simplified features and conceptsof virtual controllers for visual displays, which is further describedbelow in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended toidentify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is itintended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In one implementation of a virtual controller for visual displays, acamera or other sensor detects an image of one or more hands against abackground. The image is segmented into hand areas and background areasand at various intervals the distinct, independent backgroundareas—“holes”—formed in the image by the thumb and a finger making aclosed ring are counted (e.g., one hole may be created by each hand).The thumb and forefinger, when used in this manner are referred to as a“thumb and forefinger interface” (TAFFI). Other types of hand and fingerinterfaces are possible. At least one control parameter is then assignedto each recognized hole, or independent area of background in thecaptured image, the control parameter typically allowing the user's handto manipulate some aspect of a displayed image on a screen or monitor.For example, a mouse click function may be assigned as the controlparameter when a thumb and forefinger of a hand touch each other tocreate a visually independent background area. Control parameters may beassigned so that the displayed image changes in relation to each changein a shape and/or a position of the independent area associated with thecontrol parameter, or in relation to the independent area being formedor unformed (a high state when the thumb and forefinger touch and a lowstate when the thumb and forefinger open).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference likefeatures and components:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary computer-based system in which anexemplary virtual controller for a visual display can be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary virtual controller system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of image segmentation used in an exemplary segmenterof the virtual controller system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of exemplary thumb and forefinger interface control.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method of controlling a visualdisplay with hand and finger gestures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

This disclosure describes virtual controllers for visual displays. Inone implementation, an exemplary system provides navigation of adisplay, such as the visual user interface typical of a computermonitor, by utilizing vision-based computer techniques as applied tohand and finger gestures. In one implementation, a user types on akeyboard and then, for example, invokes a “thumb and forefingerinterface” or “TAFFI” by pausing the keyboard typing and merely touchinga thumb and a finger of one hand together (as if holding a smallstylus). The exemplary system senses this event and assigns controlparameters to attributes of the independent area of background formed bythe finger gesture, in order to control an image on the visual display.

The “virtual” of “virtual controller” refers to the absence of anapparatus in physical contact with the user's hand. Thus, in oneimplementation, the virtual controller consists of a camera positionedabove hands and keyboard and associated logic to derive one or moreinterfaces from the visual image of the user's hands. Segmentationseparates hand objects from background (e.g., including the keyboard).If the user touches forefinger to thumb (the TAFFI, above) the systemrecognizes and tabulates the independent area of background created bythis hand gesture. That is, the system recognizes that a piece of thebackground has been visually isolated from the rest of the mainbackground by the thumb and forefinger touching to make a completeclosed “ring” that encloses an elliptically shaped “doughnut hole” ofthe background area. Detection of a visual image by means other than acomputer camera is also possible. For example, a 2D array of electrodesor antennas embedded in a keyboard or a table could “image” the handgesture using electrostatic or RF techniques and be processed in amanner similar to capturing the image from a camera.

In one implementation, an independent background area is deemed to be adistinct visual object when it is visually disconnected or isolated fromother parts of the background by the hand areas, or in one variation, byhand areas in the image and/or the image border. When the image(s) ofthe hands and fingers are the delimiting entity for determining bordersof an independent background area, then the ellipsoid area between thumband forefinger of a hand that is created when the thumb and forefinger“close” (touch each other) is counted as a new independent backgroundarea approximately at the moment the thumb and forefinger touch. The newindependent background area can be considered a “connected component”within the art of connected component(s) analysis. Such connectedcomponents, or new independent background areas—“holes”—will be referredto herein as “independent background areas” or just “independent areas.”It should be understood that this terminology refers to a visual objectthat is deemed distinct, e.g., within the art of connected component(s)analysis.

When the thumb and forefinger “open,” the newly formed independentbackground area evaporates and once again becomes part of a largerindependent background area.

In terms of the art of connected components analysis, a connectedcomponent is a group of pixels in a binary image with like attributesthat are grouped together on account of the attribute similarity. Eachconnected component often corresponds to a distinct visual object asobserved by a human observer. Each part of the background that isvisually independent from other parts of the background by part of thehand or finger areas of the image may be defined as an independent areaor, in the language of connected components analysis, as a newly formedconnected component distinct from the background connected component.

Of course, other implementations may use the movements or touching ofother fingers of the hand to form a “hole” or “independent area.” Thus,“TAFFI” should be construed loosely to mean a configuration of finger(s)and hand(s) that visually isolates part of the background from the restof the general background. For example, the thumb and any other fingerof the human hand, or just two fingers without the thumb, can also forma “TAFFI” interface. To streamline the description, however,implementations will typically be described in terms of “thumb andforefinger.”

Once a detection module distinguishes the new independent backgroundarea from the general background area, the system associates the newlyrecognized independent area with one or more control parameters thatenable the user to manipulate a displayed image on the visual userinterface. The displayed image on the visual user interface can bechanged via the control parameter as the position, shape, and evenexistence of the independent background area, are tracked.

In one implementation, an exemplary system provides for detection ofmore than one independent area, allowing a user control of the displayedimage over multiple control parameters, in which one or both hands canparticipate. The association of multiple control parameters withmultiple independent areas enables control of the displayed imagerelative to changes in shape, position, and existence of each detectedindependent area. Thus, manipulation of the displayed image may includecontrol of clicking, selecting, executing, horizontal movement, verticalmovement, scrolling, dragging, rotational movement, zooming, maximizingand minimizing, file functions, menu deployment and use, etc. Further,control parameters may also be assigned to relationships betweenmultiple recognized independent areas. That is, as two independent areasmove in relation to each other, for example, various control parametersmay be attached to the distance between them. For example, asindependent areas of each hand move away from each other the image mayzoom or stretch, or may stretch in a dimension or vector in which thedistance between independent areas is changing.

While features and concepts of the described systems and methods forvirtual controllers can be implemented in many different environments,implementations of virtual controllers are described in the context ofthe following exemplary systems and environments.

Exemplary Environment

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 in which virtual controllerinterface techniques can be implemented, such as the thumb andforefinger interface, TAFFI, introduced above. The exemplary system 100includes a “display image” 102 on a visual user interface (monitor,screen or “display” 103), a camera 104 coupled with a computing device105, a mouse 106, a keyboard 108, a user's hands 110 shown in context(not part of the system's hardware, of course), and a visuallyindependent area 112 formed by a user's hand 110(1) being used as aTAFFI. The camera obtains a captured image 114 of the hands to be usedby an exemplary TAFFI engine 115. (The captured image 114 is shown onlyfor descriptive purposes, the exemplary system 100 does not need todisplay what the camera captures.) The computing device 105 hosting theTAFFI engine 115 may be a desktop, laptop, PDA, or other computingdevice 105 that can successfully incorporate input from a camera 104 sothat the TAFFI engine 115 can detect certain hand gestures and use theseas user interface input.

The camera 104 captures an image of one hand 110(1) comprising a TAFFIwhile the other hand 110(2) remains in a “conventional” (non-TAFFI)typing position. The captured image 114 exhibits the detection of anindependent area 112 for the hand 110(1) forming the TAFFI, but nodetection of an independent area for the hand 110(2) that is stilltyping or using a mouse for additional input entry. The detection of theindependent area 112 by the camera 104 is displayed as a darkened area(112) in the captured image 114. This captured image 114 demonstrates aphase in the process that will be described further below, in which theexemplary system 100 separates hands 110 and background into continuous,segmented areas, such as a large background area, the hand areas, andthe smaller background area constituting the independent area 112 formedby the TAFFI of hand 110(1).

The system 100 can be a vision-based (“computer vision”) system thatprovides control of the visual user interface via hand gesture inputdetected by the camera 104 or other sensor. In other words, theexemplary system 100 may control the visual user interface displayoutput of many different types of programs or applications that can beoperated on a computing device, including web-based displays. Thus, theexemplary system 100 can replace a conventional user input devices, suchas mouse 106 and if desirable, the keyboard 108, including theirfunctions of selecting, moving, and changing objects displayed in thevisual user interface 102, or even inputting text.

The virtual controller detects particular hand gestures and movements asuser input. In the illustrated embodiment, the camera 104 used fordetection is placed somewhere above the hands and keyboard, attached tothe display 103. The camera 104 placed in this position possesses afield of view that covers at least the majority of the keyboard 108 andis roughly focused at the plane of the user's hands 110 in the normaltyping position. In one implementation, lights, such as infrared orvisible LEDs, may be placed to illuminate the hands 110 and keyboard 108and may also be positioned to mitigate the effects of changing ambientillumination. In some cases, ambient light may be sufficient, so that noextra lights are needed for the camera to obtain an image. Invariations, the camera 104 and/or extra lights can be placed betweenvarious keys of the keyboard 108, such that the camera 104 faces upwardand is able to detect hand gestures and movements of hands over thekeyboard 108.

An example of a camera 104 that may be used in the illustrated exemplarysystem 100 is a LOGITECH Web camera 104 that acquires full resolutiongrayscale images at a rate of 30 Hz (Freemont, Calif.). The camera 104can be affixed to either the keyboard 108 or display 103, or whereverelse is suitable.

In the exemplary system 100, a user's hand 110(1) can form a TAFFI,which creates a visual area independent from the rest of the backgroundarea when thumb and forefinger touch. In one implementation, thepotential TAFFI and presence or absence of one or more independent areas112 are detected by a real-time image processing routine that isexecuted in the computing device 105 to continuously monitor anddetermine the state of both hands 110, for example, whether the hands110 are typing or forming a gesture for input. This processing routinemay first determine whether a user's thumb and forefinger are incontact. If the fingers are in contact causing an independent area 112of a TAFFI formation to be recognized, the position of the contact canbe tracked two-dimensionally. For example, the position of the thumb andforefinger contact can be registered in the computer 105 as the positionof the pointing arrow, or the cursor position. This recognition of theTAFFI formation position and its associated independent area 112 arethus used to establish cursor position and to control the displayedimage, in one implementation.

Rapid hand movements producing an independent area 112, where theindependent area 112 is formed, unformed, and then formed again withinan interval of time, can simulate or mimic the “clicking” of a mouse andallow a user to select an item being displayed. The quick forming,unforming, and forming again of an independent area 112 can furtherenable the user to drag or scroll selected portions of the displayedimage, move an object in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal directions,rotate, zoom, etc., the displayed image 102. Additionally, in oneimplementation, moving the TAFFI that has formed an independent area 112closer to or farther away from the camera 104 can produce zooming in andout of the displayed image.

Control of a displayed image via multiple TAFFIs may involve more thanone hand 110. The illustrated exemplary system 100 of FIG. 1 is anembodiment of TAFFI control in which image manipulation proceeds from aTAFFI of one hand 110(1) while the opposing hand 110(2) types andperforms other input tasks at the keyboard 108. But in anotherembodiment of TAFFI control, both hands 110 may form respective TAFFIs,resulting in detection of at least two independent areas 112 by thecamera 104. Two-handed TAFFI control can provide input control forfine-tuned navigation of a visual user interface. The two-handedapproach provides multi-directional image manipulation in addition tozooming in, zooming out, and rotational movements, where themanipulation is more sophisticated because of the interaction of theindependent areas 112 of the multiple TAFFIs in relation to each other.

Exemplary System

FIG. 2 illustrates various components of the exemplary virtualcontroller system 100. The illustrated configuration of the virtualcontroller system 100 is only one example arrangement. Many arrangementsof the illustrated components, or other similar components, are possiblewithin the scope of the subject matter. The exemplary virtual controllersystem 100 has some components, such as the TAFFI engine 115, that canbe executed in hardware, software, or combinations of hardware,software, firmware, etc.

The exemplary system 100 includes hardware 202, such as the camera 104or other image sensor, keyboard 108, and display 103. The TAFFI engine115 includes other components, such as an image segmenter 204, anindependent area tracker 206, a control parameter engine 208, includinga linking module 210.

In one implementation, the camera 104 detects an image interpreted asone or more hands 110 against a background. The pixels of the capturedimage 114 include contrasting values of an attribute that will be usedto distinguish the hands 110 in the image from the background area(s) inthe image. Eligible attributes for contrasting hands from background mayinclude brightness, grayscale, color component intensity, color planevalue, vector pixel value, colormap index value, etc. In variations, thecamera 104 may utilize one or other of these attributes to distinguishhand pixels from background pixels, for instance, depending on ifinfrared illumination is used instead of the typical visible spectrum.Sometimes, obtaining the captured image 114 using infrared results inthe hands of most people of different skin tones appearing with similarcontrast to the background regardless of variations in skin color andtone in the visible spectrum due to difference in race, suntan, etc.Thus, detection of hands against a background in the image may bereadily accomplished in the infrared without regard to visible skintones.

The segmenter 204 thus separates the captured image 114 into one or morehand areas 110 and the background area(s), e.g., by binary imagesegmentation according to the contrast or brightness attributesdescribed above. The binary image segmentation distinguishes backgroundarea pixels from pixels of any other (foreground) object or area presentin the captured image 114. In one implementation, the segmenter 204separates an image by first determining pixels that correspond to thebackground area. The background area pixels are each assigned a value,such as binary “ones” (1s). The remaining pixels in the captured image114 are each assigned a different value, such as “zeros” (0s).

FIG. 3 illustrates an example 300 of binary image segmentation performedby the segmenter 204. The captured image 114 includes a backgroundobject 302 and a hand object 304 in the foreground. A variety oftechniques exist for producing segmented images, most of which are wellknown in the art. In one implementation, the segmenter 204 discerns thebackground area pixels from the pixels of any other object or area thatis present in the captured image 114 or in example 300. Distinguishingpixels in a binary image is accomplished by considering each pixelcorresponding to the background as “on,” or as a particular value, suchas “one.” Every other pixel value in an image can then be compared tothe value of the stored background image. Any other pixel value that issignificantly brighter than the corresponding background pixel value isdeemed part of a new area or image object, and is labeled “off,” orgiven a different value, such as “zero.”

Example 300 can also illustrate distinction of the background area 302from other areas of an image, as a color difference. The background area302 is shown as a darker color that is equated with a first value. Thehand object 304 shown as a lighter color is equated with a second value,distinguishing it from the background area 302.

Returning to FIG. 2, the independent area tracker 206 determines, atfixed time intervals, a number of independent areas 112 of thebackground. Each part of the background that is visually independentfrom other parts of the background by at least a part of thenon-background hand areas (or the image border) is defined as anindependent area 112. For each independent area 112 sensed, theindependent area tracker 206 finds an area of “1” pixels completelysurrounded by “0” pixels (i.e., no longer continuously connected to therest of the “1” pixels comprising the main background). In other words,the independent area tracker 206 finds areas of isolated background thatare circumscribed by a touching thumb and forefinger gesture of a TAFFI.

Accurate detection of an independent area 112 as a separate area of thebackground indicating the user's intention to select an object on thedisplay 103, for example, can be ensured when the independent area liesentirely within the captured image 114 sensed by the camera 104, i.e.,when no portion of the independent area 112 lies on the border of thecaptured image 114.

Nonetheless, in one implementation, a variation of the independent areatracker 206 can sense an independent area 112 even when part of theindependent area 112 is “off screen”—not included as part of thecaptured image 114. This can be accomplished by defining an independentarea 112 as an area of background cut off from the main background bypart of a hand 110 or by part of the border of the captured image 114.But this is only a variation of how to delimit an independent area ofbackground.

Once the existence of one or more independent areas is established, thelinking module 210 associates a control parameter for the manipulationof a visual image display 102 on a user interface with each countedindependent area. Manipulation can include a number of mechanisms,including cursor control within a visual user interface. Cursor controlof a visual image display 102 can be accomplished, but only when theindependent area is detected and associated with the control parameter.If detection of the independent area ceases, the control parameterassociation ceases, and cursor control and manipulation is disabled.Cursor control may include a number of manipulations, including a“clicking” action mimicking input from a mouse. The clicking actionprovides for the selection of a desired portion of the visual imagedisplay 102, tracking and dragging, and multi-directional movement andcontrol of the cursor.

The linking module 210 provides for association of a specific controlparameter with a hand or finger gesture or with a gesture change. Once acontrol parameter is assigned or associated with a hand or fingergesture, then the control parameter engine 208 may further nuance howthe hand gesture and the control parameter relate to each other. Forexample, the mere touching of thumb to forefinger may be used as an“on-off,” binary, high-low, or other two-state interface or switch.Whereas a hand gesture attribute that can change continuously may beassigned to provide variable control over a display image manipulation,such as gradual movements of the display image 102 over a continuum.

When the linking module 210 assigns a variable control parameter tocontrol of the displayed image 102, e.g., in relation to changes inshape or position of a corresponding independent area, the variabilityaspect can be accomplished by calculating the mean position of allpixels belonging to each independent area and then tracking the changesin the position of the shape created when a hand forms a TAFFI. Movementof the hands alters the orientation of the ellipsoidal shape of theindependent areas and causes corresponding changes in the displayattribute associated with the assigned control parameter.

Control of the Displayed Image

FIG. 4 shows an example TAFFI 400 illustrated within the context of acaptured image 114. The illustrated part of the captured image 114includes a background area 302, a hand object area 110, an independentarea 112, and an image border 408. Each of the areas 302, 110, and 406can be described as distinct connected areas, or connected components.The TAFFI engine 115 distinguishes independent area 112 from the otherconnected components 302 and 110.

A TAFFI engine 115 may thus use computation of connected components ofan image as the basis for implementation of a virtual controller forvisual displays. In greater detail, connected components are a subset ofpixels or a region of an image in which every pixel is “connected” toevery other pixel in the subset. The term “connected” denotes a set ofpixels for which it is possible to reach every pixel from any otherpixel by traversing pixels that belong to the set. Efficient techniquescurrently exist for computing a set of connected components in an image.Connected component techniques can be efficient avenues for determiningproperties of shapes in an image because they allow for the examinationof small sets of components consisting of many pixels within the pixelsof the entire image.

The process of computing connected components can give rise to detectionof extraneous connected components. These unneeded detections mayconfuse the determination of relevant independent areas formed by TAFFIsor other exemplary interfaces, and therefore impede the implementationof a virtual controller. In one implementation, extraneous detection ofextra connected components can be overcome by discarding connectedcomponents that have a fewer number of pixels than a predeterminedallowable threshold.

In one implementation, the TAFFI engine 115 verifies that a recognizedindependent area 112 lies entirely within the borders of the image,i.e., entirely within confines of a background area 302. Sometimes thislimited detection of an independent area 112 that is of sufficient sizeand includes no pixels on the border 408 of the image reinforcesreliable identification of desired independent areas 406. In this oneimplementation, appropriate detection is accomplished by avoiding falseconnected component candidates, or those that do not lie entirely withinthe image and which contain portions on the border 408 of the image.

Yet, in another implementation, the TAFFI engine 115 detects anindependent area 112 by detecting a portion of the independent area 112within the captured image 114 and a portion lying off-screen over theborder 408 of the image. In this implementation, connected componentanalysis proceeds as long as the independent area 112 is contiguous upto the point of encountering and/or surpassing the border 408 of theimage. This may occur when the hand forming the TAFFI and independentarea 112 is only partially within the field of view of the camera, andtherefore only partially within the detected image.

In one implementation, the TAFFI engine 115 uses the center of theindependent area 112 to establish a cursor position and cursor controlwithin the displayed image 102. The TAFFI engine 115 may performstatistical analysis for each recognized independent area 112, whereindependent area tracker 206 computes the “centroid” or mean pixelposition of all pixels belonging to each independent area 112. Thiscalculated position is the sum of many pixel positions, resulting instability and precision for this implementation. The mean pixel positioncan be computed at the same stage as computing connected components,resulting in an efficient technique that provides rapid results at lowprocessing cost.

Regarding the appearance and disappearance of independent areas 406 as ameans of controlling a visual display, in one implementation mean pixelposition of all pixels belonging to an independent area 112 establishescursor position and control only when the independent area 112 is newlydetected during one interval of a repeating detection process.

Cursor control with detection of an independent areas 406 can mimic amouse input device 106. Analogous to the mouse 106, relative motion forcursor manipulation can be computed from the current and past positionof the detected independent area 112 formed by a TAFFI 400. The joiningtogether of a thumb and forefinger is a natural motion that allows foran effortless clutching behavior, as with a mouse input device. The useof a Kalman filter with TAFFI detection can smooth the motion of thecursor on the visual display 103.

The exemplary TAFFI engine 115 supports selecting objects of thedisplayed image 102 by rapid forming, unforming, and reforming of anindependent area 112 with in a threshold time interval. These actionsmimic the “clicking” of a mouse button for “selecting” or “executing”functions, and may also support transitioning from tracking to draggingof a selected object. For example, dragging may be implemented bymimicking a “mouse-down” event immediately following the latestformation of an independent area 112. The corresponding “mouse-up” eventis generated when the independent area 112 evaporates by opening thumband forefinger. For example, at the moment of independent areaformation, an object, such as a scroll bar in a document on the visualuser interface display, can be selected. Immediately following thisselection, the position of the hand forming the independent area 112 canbe moved in the same manner that a mouse 106 might be moved forscrolling downward in a document.

The TAFFI engine 115 can provide more control of a visual display 102than just mimicking a conventional mouse-based function. The mean andcovariance of the pixel positions of an independent area 112 (connectedcomponent) can be related to an oriented ellipsoidal model of the shapeof the independent area 112 by computing the eigenvectors of thecovariance matrix of pixel positions. The square root of the magnitudeof the eigenvalues gives its spatial extent, of major and minor axessize, while the orientation of the ellipse is determined as thearctangent of one of the eigenvectors, up to a 180-degree ambiguity. Theresultant ambiguity can be addressed by taking the computed orientationor the +180 degree rotated orientation to minimize the difference inorientation from the previous frame.

The TAFFI engine 115 may compute simultaneous changes in position,orientation, and scale from the ellipsoidal model of the independentarea 112 created by an exemplary TAFFI 400. In various implementations,changes in scale can also be used to detect movement of the hand towardsthe camera and away from the camera. This assumes that the user's handforming an independent area 112 is generally kept within a fixed rangeof distances from the camera 104 so that the size and shape of theindependent area 112 vary only within tolerances, so that visual changesin orientation are somewhat limited to the plane of the background area302, or keyboard. In one implementation, an important consideration isthat throughout the interaction the user must maintain the size of theindependent area—the size of the ellipsoidal hole formed by the TAFFI400—as the user moves hands up and down relative to the camera orkeyboard (i.e., in some implementations, change in height is confoundedwith real change in the shape of the independent area). In otherimplementations, the TAFFI engine 115 compensates for changes in size ofthe independent area as a hand moves up and down, using computer visionlogic.

In one exemplary implementation, the TAFFI engine 115 uses theellipsoidal model of the independent area 112 for one-handed navigationof aerial and satellite imagery, such as that provided by the WINDOWS®LIVE VIRTUAL EARTH® web service, or other similar Internet map services(Redmond, Wa). Navigation by movement across the entire view of thevirtual map can be accomplished by a TAFFI 400 with an independent area112 that moves across a background area 302, such as a table orkeyboard. Rotation of the entire map can be accomplished by rotating thehand forming the independent area 112 within the 2-dimensional plane ofthe keyboard, while zooming-in and zooming-out functions are achieved bymoving the hand closer or farther from the camera 104.

The TAFFI engine 115 can implement the use of two or more hands forcursor control and navigation. A frame-to-frame correspondence strategyallows each independent area 112 to be continuously tracked as eitherthe first, second, third, etc., area detected by a camera for input. Theplacement of both hands against a background area 302 for detection by acamera, and the subsequent movement of the hands in relation to thebackground area 302, alters the orientation of the ellipsoidal model ofthe independent areas 406 and causes movement of the visual userinterface display associated with the position and location of the handmovements via the control parameters assigned by the linking module 210.

The simultaneous tracking of multiple control parameters correspondingto multiple hand or finger gestures enables a variety of bimanualinteractions. Referring again to the Internet virtual map example,two-handed input for the navigation of the virtual map allowssimultaneous changes in rotation, translation, and scaling of the mapview on the display 103. Because location estimates for independentareas 406 are derived from the position of the hands, the two-handedtechnique can provide more stable estimates of motion than that of theone-handed technique. The two-handed technique thus provides for:clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, where both hands simultaneouslymove in the direction of rotation; movement of the entire visual userinterface display view in vertical or horizontal directions, where bothhands move in the desired direction; and zooming functions, wherezooming in of the visual user interface display is accomplished whenboth hands begin close together and later stretch apart from oneanother, and zooming out of the visual user interface display isperformed by bringing hands together from a separated starting position.

Simultaneous changes in position, orientation, and scale computed fromthe ellipsoidal model of an independent area 112 can be used inimplementations other than standard computing device environments. Forexample, the TAFFI engine 115 may control interactive table surfacesystems that include a camera and a projector on a table, but notraditional input devices such as a mouse, touchscreen, or keyboard. Auser places hands over the table surface, forming independent areas 406to provide manipulation and interaction with the table surface and thematerial displayed on the surface. A similar implementation may includea system that projects a display image onto a wall, where a user caninteract and control the display image through hands and fingers actingas TAFFIs 400. For example, the TAFFI engine 115 may allow the user tochange slides during a projector presentation

Exemplary Method

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary method 500 of controlling a visual display viaa hand or finger gesture. In the flow diagram, the operations aresummarized in individual blocks. Depending on implementation, theexemplary method 500 may be performed by hardware, software, orcombinations of hardware, software, firmware, etc., for example, bycomponents of the exemplary virtual controller system 100 and/or theexemplary TAFFI engine 115.

At block 502, an image of one or more hands 110 against a background viaa camera 104 is captured. Contrast, color, or brightness may be thepixel attribute that enables distinguishing between the hands andsurrounding background area. Hands are sensed more easily against acontrasting background. One scenario for sensing hands is while typingat a keyboard 108. A camera 104 captures an image of the hands 110 andthe keyboard 108 sensed as part of the background area. Infrared LEDillumination may also be used for this method, which offers controlledlighting making most hands appear similar to the camera 104 in skintone.

At block 504, the image is segmented into hand objects and backgroundareas by binary segmentation. For example, the background area pixelsare identified and distinguished from the pixels of any other object orarea in the image. The background area pixels are then labeled with avalue. The pixels of other objects or areas in the image aresubsequently identified and compared to the value of the pixels of thestored background image. Any pixel value significantly brighter than thecorresponding background pixel value is labeled part of a new area orimage, and given a different value from the background area pixels. Thisdistinction and labeling of differing areas of an image is binarysegmentation of the image.

At block 506, a number of independent areas of the background arecounted in repeating detection intervals. Independent areas 406 aredefined as each part of the background 302 that is visually independentfrom other parts of the background by at least a part of one of the handobjects 110. For example, when a hand acts as a thumb and forefingerinterface, or TAFFI, the thumb and forefinger of the hand create anenclosed area, independent from the rest of the general background area.This enclosed area forms a new independent area 112 to which a controlparameter for manipulating a visual display can be attached. In oneimplementation, the method tests whether the detected independent areasare really independent, i.e., in one case, whether an independent areahas pixels on the border of the image.

At block 508, a control parameter for manipulating an image on a displayis associated with each counted independent area or attribute thereof.For example, an independent area 112 created by a hand used as a TAFFIis sensed by the camera 104 and is correlated with a control parameterenabling the user to select an object on the user interface display.Subsequently, a second sensed independent area 112 is correlated with auser interface control parameter, enabling the user to move thepreviously selected object to a different location on the user interfacedisplay. This rapid succession of sensing a first and second independentarea 112 can result from a quick forming, unforming, and reforming theindependent areas 406, resulting in a mouse-like “clicking” functionassociated with a sensed independent area 112.

At block 510, the displayed image is changed via the control parameterin relation to each change in the attribute of the independent area thatis assigned to the control parameter. For example, the position of anindependent area 112 may move left or right in relation to the sensingcamera 104 and the displayed image 102 may follow suit. The associationof the sensed independent area 112 with a control parameter allows themanipulation of the displayed visual image 102 according to themovement, position, and relation of the hands being used as TAFFIs.

The above method 500 and other related methods may be implemented in thegeneral context of computer executable instructions. Generally, computerexecutable instructions can include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, and thelike that perform particular functions or implement particular abstractdata types. The methods may also be practiced in a distributed computingenvironment where functions are performed by remote processing devicesthat are linked through a communications network. In a distributedcomputing environment, computer executable instructions may be locatedin both local and remote computer storage media, including memorystorage devices.

CONCLUSION

Although exemplary systems and methods have been described in languagespecific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to beunderstood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather,the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms ofimplementing the claimed methods, devices, systems, etc.

1. A method, comprising: detecting an image of one or more skeletal bodyportions against a substantially stationary background via an imagesensor; segmenting the image into skeletal body portion areas andbackground areas; at intervals, counting a number of independent areasof the background, wherein each part of the background that is visuallyindependent from other parts of the background is defined as anindependent area, each independent area being visually separate from theother parts of the background by at least a part of the skeletal bodyportion areas; associating a control parameter for manipulating adisplayed image on a user interface with a predefined region of eachcounted independent area; and changing the displayed image via thecontrol parameter in relation to each change in a shape and/or aposition of the independent area associated with the control parameter.2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising dissociating acontrol parameter from an associated independent area when theindependent area becomes connected again.
 3. The method as recited inclaim 1, wherein the control parameter comprises emulating an actuationof a mouse button when an independent area: forms, unforms, and reformswithin a threshold time interval.
 4. The method as recited in claim 1,wherein the control parameter comprises emulation and movement of amouse pointer.
 5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlparameter comprises movement of a cursor.
 6. The method as recited inclaim 1, wherein the control parameter comprises movement of thedisplayed image with respect to the user interface.
 7. The method asrecited in claim 6, wherein the movement comprises one of: verticalmovement, horizontal movement, or rotational movement.
 8. The method asrecited in claim 1, wherein the control parameter comprises zooming orreducing a size of the displayed image on the user interface.
 9. Themethod as recited in claim 1, further comprising associating the controlparameter with a relation between two independent areas, eachindependent area formed by an image of a respective skeletal bodyportion.
 10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the controlparameter comprises stretching the displayed image in relation to achanging distance between the two independent areas.
 11. The method asrecited in claim 9, wherein the control parameter associated with therelation between two independent areas controls one of: rotating thedisplayed image in relation to rotation of a line between the twoindependent areas; rotating the displayed image in a clockwise or acounterclockwise direction when both independent areas move in a similararc direction; moving the entire displayed image when both independentareas move simultaneously in the same direction; and zooming thedisplayed image when the distance between independent areas changes. 12.The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a thumb area and a forefingerarea of a skeletal body portion area defines a thumb and forefingerinterface (TAFFI), the thumb area and the forefinger area visuallytouching each other to visually disconnect a part of the background fromthe other parts of the background to form an independent area.
 13. Asystem, comprising: an image sensor to detect an image including one ormore skeletal body portions against a substantially stationarybackground; an image separator to segment the image into one or moreskeletal body portion areas and the background; a calculation module tocount, at intervals, a number of independent areas of the background,wherein each part of the background that is visually independent fromother parts of the background is defined as an independent area, eachindependent area being visually separated from the other parts of thebackground by at least a part of the skeletal body portion areas; alinking module to associate a control parameter on a user interface witha predefined region of each counted independent area; and wherein eachchange in a shape and/or a position of the independent area associatedwith the control parameter initiates an action via the controlparameter.
 14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein when theindependent area becomes connected again the linking module dissociatesthe respective control parameter.
 15. A system as recited in claim 13,wherein the linking module associates a control parameter that emulatesan actuation of a mouse button when an independent area forms, unforms,and reforms within a threshold time interval.
 16. A system as recited inclaim 13, wherein the linking module associates a control parameter toemulate a movement of a visual indicator selected from the group ofvisual indicators consisting of an image of a mouse pointer, an image ofa cursor, and at least part of a displayed image on the user interfaceand wherein the movement comprises a movement selected from the group ofmovements consisting of a vertical movement, a horizontal movement, arotational movement, a zooming-in movement, and a zooming-out movement.17. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the linking moduleassociates the control parameter with a relation between two independentareas, each independent area formed by an image of a respective skeletalbody portion.
 18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the linkingmodule associates a control parameter to stretch a displayed image onthe user interface in relation to a changing distance between the twoindependent areas.
 19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein thelinking module associates a control parameter to rotate a displayedimage on the user interface in relation to a rotation of a line betweenthe two independent areas.
 20. A system for changing a displayed imageon a user interface via a control parameter assigned to a movement of askeletal body portion, the system comprising: means for detecting animage of one or more skeletal body portions against a substantiallystationary background; means for segmenting the image into one or moreskeletal body portion areas and the background; means for counting, atfixed intervals, a number of independent areas of the background,wherein each part of the background that is visually independent fromother parts of the background, and visually separated by at least a partof a skeletal body portion area from the other parts of the background,is defined as an independent area; means for associating a controlparameter on the user interface with a predefined region of each countedindependent area and initiating an action via the control parameter inrelation to each change in a shape and/or a position of the independentarea associated with the control parameter.